Trimming machine



Sept. 22, 1942. w. F. GREEN TRIMMINQ MACHINE Filed July I4, 1941 R. N E M 6 E M M L L w 6 F m H m F x a c 2 a a \v$s.nn./nfi H v 2 a M; 1 w I f7 5 a G 3 m w F 7 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 22, 1942 TRIMIVIING MACHINE William Fred Green, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Valley Shoe Corporation, St.

poration of Missouri Louis, Mo., a cor- Application July 14, 1941, Serial No. 402,361

3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to shoe machinery.

In the modern production of ladies fancy shoes and the like, the upper is suitably covered by and enclosed within a latex or other preferably elas-, tic meltable sheath or casing for protecting the same during the several operations to which the shoe is subjected during manufacture. Such sheath or casing has its lower marginal portion disposed under the inner sole of the shoe, and such portion of the sheath or casing must be removed for enabling proper attachment of the outer sole.

Heretofore, so far as I am aware, the removal of such latex marginal portion has been effected by means of a flame-heated rollera structure dangerous to the operator and crude, inefiicient, and non-uniform in results obtained.

My present invention has hence for its chief object the provision of a trimmer uniquely constructed for enabling the removal with precision, safety, convenience, and uniformity of the marginal or sole portion of the protective latex sheath commonly today applied, as I have stated, to the upper during the course of manufacture of ladies fine footwear.

My invention has for further objects the provision of a trimmingmachine of the type and for the purpose stated which is simple, rugged, and durable in construction, which is speedy, convenient, and inexpensive in operation, which eliminates the hazard of physical injury to the operator, which will not mar or damage the shoe being processed, and which is highly efficient in the performance of its stated functions.

And with the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure 1 is a reduced elevational View of a trimming machine constructed in accordance with and embodying my present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the machine;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view, partly broken away and in section, of the machine;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the guide-roller of the machine;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the trimming tool and guide-roller of the machine; and

Figure 6 is a so-called schematic view illustrating the trimming tool and guide-roller in opera- 55 tive engagement with a shoe in process of construction.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the trimming machine comprises a suitable preferably tubular upright or vertically disposed standard I having an outwardly flared base 2 suitably apertured for attachment, as by means of lag-screws or the like 3, to a factory floor or other support.

At its upper end, the standard I is preferably integrally provided with a laterally extending arm 4, in turn, formed at its outer or free end with a pair of suitably spaced vertically disposed openings 5 for accommodating suitable dielectric and athermanous sleeves 6, and in the area of the sleeves 6, the bracket-arm 4 upon its upper and lower faces is insulated with suitable dielectric and athermanous plates or blocks 7 provided with registering apertures concentric with the sleeves 6 for accommodating a pair of headed bolts 8, which project endwise below the lower insulating plate I for threaded supporting engagement with a preferably rectangular headblock 9.

As best seen in Figure 3, the block 9 projects forwardly somewhat beyond the outer end of the bracket-arm 4 and in its forwardly presented end face is provided with a slightly oblique slot II] for accommodating a suitably elongated heatingtool or iron II, removably or adjustably secured to the block 9 as by means of a screw I2.

At its lower end, the tool II projects beneath the plane of the head-block 9 and is formed preferably with a crescent-shaped tip I3 having a blunt downwardly curved heating edge I4.

Mounted within the head-block 9, is an electric heating element I5 connected by means of a conventional flexible connector I6 to a control rheostat IT, in turn, connected by means of a flexible electrical cord I8 and separable plug I9 to a suitable source of electric current (not shown).

Also formed preferably integrally with the upright or standard I and extending laterally therefrom in downwardly spaced relation to the under face of the head-block 9, is an auxiliary arm 20 provided longitudinally at or adjacent its outer end with a pair of lengthwise aligned slots 2|, and secured, as by means of tightening screws 22 extending through the slots 2|, for lengthwise adjustment upon the upper face of the arm 20, is a plate 23 bifurcated or forked at its forward end, as at 23, and mounted upon a stub-shaft 24 for rotation in the forked end 23' of the plate 23, is a suitable guide-roller 25.

In practice, it is to be understood that the tool II and the roller-supporting arm or plate 2.3 will be relatively adjusted with respect to each other and to the particular type of shoe being processed, so as to provide for engagement between the tool H and such shoe along a desired line for effecting severance of a trim or marginal portion from the remaining body of the protective latex sheath, and that the control rheostat I! will be adjusted to bring the heating-element !5, the head-block 9, and the supported tool I I to a predetermined temperature at which the blunt edge I4 of the tool I I will melt and thereby produce a line of severance in the latex-coating for enabling the manual removal from the shoe of such trim or marginal portion only of the latexcovering without burning or otherwise marring the underlying surface of the particular shoe.

1 Accordingly,in use and operation, a particular upper, fragmentally shown and generally designated B in Figure 6 and which includes a lasted leather or other upper stock-memberh protected 3 an overlying or outer latex-coating c, is man vlly shifted, while guided by and'against the roller 25 in the'manner illustrated both in Figure 3 and in Figure 6, beneath the'heated edge it of the tool. I I, whereby the latex-covering or coating 6 is meltably'severed by the tool II, so

that subsequently only that trim or marginal portion of the covering 0, which is designated ,7 in Figure 6, may be quite readily manually or mechanically peeled from the marginal portion of the member b of the upper B for exposing such marginal portion ,1 for subsequent outsole attachment or any other or further necessary shoe manufacturing operations.

It will be evident that, by my present inveniion, I have provided a simple, conveniently operated trimming machine, which, being electrically heated, entirely obviates any danger to operators, may be very carefully and precisely controlled as to temperature, eliminating any danger of burning or otherwise damaging the shoe upper, is highly flexible, being adjustable to accommodate any type, style, or size of shoe, is relatively inexpensive both as to'construction and maintenance costs, and fulfills in every respect the objects stated.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the machine may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A machine for meltably producing a line of severance in a meltable protective shoe-covering for enabling the removal of a trim-portion thereof including, in combination, a standard, a lateral arm on the standard, a conducting blade fixed on and having a blunt-end portion depending from the arm, means for electrically heating the blade to cover-melting temperature, and means for guiding the shoe in manual shifting thereof in blade engagement.

2. A machine for meltably producing a line of severance in a meltable protective shoe-covering for enabling'the removal of a trim-portion thereof including, in combination, a standard, a lateral arm on the standard, a conducting blade fixed on and having a blunt-end portion depending from the arm, means for electrically heating the blade to cover-melting temperature, and means comprising a roller angularly disposed in spaced relation to the blade for guiding the shoe in manual shifting thereof in blade engagement.

3. A machine for meltably producing a line of severance in a meltable protective shoe-covering for enabling the removal of a trim-portion thereof includingin combination, a standard, a pair of spaced lateral arms on the standard, a headblock fixed on, and insulated from, one of said arms, a blade fixed in electrical engagement upon and'havlng a blunt-end portion depending from the head-block, means associated with the headblock for electrically heating the blade to covermelting temperature, and means including a roller'mounted on the other of said arms and disposed in spaced right-angular relation to the depending blunt-end portion of the blade for guiding the shoe in manual shifting thereof in blade engagement.

WILLIAM FRED GREEN. 

